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Most people are aware that poor dental health can lead to discolored teeth
and bad breath. As it turns out, this is the best case scenario. Poor
dental health, in particular, not flossing, can lead to other health issues.
One, of course, is loss of teeth. If the gums are not stimulated and the
plaque is not removed, the gums can become diseased because of the bacteria
causing plaque, and cause the teeth to loosen over time. It is not a
pleasant prospect to lose teeth, it is a painful process that occurs over a
period of years, usually one tooth at a time. The gums become swollen and
painful, they bleed very easily, usually just touching a toothbrush to them
will cause them to bleed, and the teeth become more sensitive, making eating
and drinking difficult at times. Dentists want this whole unpleasant
situation avoided, firstly through regular dental checkups and secondly, by
regular flossing.
Recently, there was some talk on one of the local radio stations that quoted
a survey stating that use of a product such as Listerine a couple of times
per day would be just as effective as flossing. Be wary of these types of
statements - plaque, the material that stays between the teeth, is sticky
and simply cannot be removed from rinsing out your mouth.
Using floss is not hard. It is definitely something that you get used to
over time and generally speaking, it is not a long time. Once in the habit,
it will be as simple as brushing your teeth and combing your hair. Wind the
floss around one finger a couple of times (not too tight) and using the
other hand to hold the opposite end of the floss, run the floss down one
side of your tooth, into the gum line, and then the other side. Make sure
you floss each side of each tooth to get the best result. The best result
of this is that sore gums become healthy again, they don't bleed anymore,
and your teeth have a healthy and stable environment to thrive in.
It is especially important to get children to floss. Most kids have healthy
teeth, once they approach adolescence, some of these kids who had perfect
mouths, start to develop cavities between their teeth. Usually it it not
because the children are doing something wrong, it is a direct result of
changing hormones. Flossing, as a preventative measure, has been shown to
prevent these cavities caused by simply growing up. If you can get your
kids to floss, you'll be doing them a big favour. If the floss is fixed to
the tile or mirror in your bathroom, a place where many growing pre teen and
teenagers spend a lot of time, chances are, they'll start to floss.
In addition to all this, recent research has been done on dental health.
The latest - not being aware of the dangers of not taking care of your
teeth, can actually shorten your life span.
The bacteria caused by having plaque from left over food in your mouth can
seep into your bloodstream. This happens just through the simple process of
eating, drinking and swallowing. It turns out that this is the same
bacteria that can get into the arteries surrounding the heart, making heart
disease a very real concern. It has been noted that people with severe gum
disease can have between three and seven times the risk of fatal heart
disease. It is simply that the mouth is connected to the rest of the body,
and as such, affects the rest of the body's health. A healthy mouth can
truly equal a healthy body.
Most people that have suffered a toothache or gum inflammation, can vouch
for the fact that it can make your life miserable. While it would be almost
impossible to get through life without ever having to suffer from some sort
of tooth or gum trauma, it would be something we would not want to
continually revisit if there was a choice.
Periodontal disease or, in other words, inflammation of the gums that has
reached a point of severity, can also be a factor in a whole group of health
issues. The bacteria that seeps into the bloodstream from periodontal
issues can not only cause heart disease but also stroke, chronic respiratory
disease, pneumonia, diabetes, pre-term or low birth weight babies. Why -
because there is a connection between what goes on in the mouth to what goes
on in the rest of the body. Treat and care for your mouth and the rest of
your body might have a fighting chance to ward off some of these serious
diseases.
The Calgary Health Region serves up some very important tips to combat gum
disease and tooth deterioration -
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Maintain good oral hygiene. Brush you teeth and tongue twice a day
(minimum) and always before you go to bed.
- Floss daily. If you don't floss, you are missing more than one-third of
your tooth surface.
- Eat a well balanced diet. Healthy food is good for oral and general
health. Avoid too much sugar.
- Start your kids early. Children should see your family dentist by age 1
or 2 for prevenion, nutrition and hygiene information.
- Check your gums regularly. Look for warning signs of gum disease - red,
shiny, puffy, sore or sensitive gums, bleeding when you brush or floss; or
bad breath that just won't go away.
- Don't smoke. Tobacco contributes to gum disease and can possibly lead
to serious problems such as oral cancer.
- See your dentist on a regular basis. Don't wait for the pain! Regular
checkups and professional cleanings are the best way to prevent problems
from getting worse.
Have you every heard the expression "long in the tooth". This is a
statement often used to describe an older person. Generally in days gone
by, it was thought that gum problems came with the territory and was just a
fact of life because of advancing age. Now we know better. One of the
first signs of deteriorating oral health is bleeding gums - eventually if no
precautions are taken at this point, the gums swell, begin to hurt, cause
severe bad breath. If that is not bad enough, spaces begin to appear
between the teeth, gums recede (push up and away from the teeth). That is
when you look in the mirror and it looks like your teeth are getting longer.
A lot of people don't believe in going to the dentist or taking care of
their mouth because "nothing hurts". Remember - high blood pressure doesn't
hurt either and is the host of many major health concerns. Don't wait till
it hurts, a little care today can help to assure you of a long healthy life.
Feel free to tell your friends about
Floss-Rite by sending our website address:
http://floss-rite.com
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